Most people don’t struggle with fitness because they don’t care — they struggle because they care deeply and don’t have a system that actually fits their life, body, and energy.

In this episode, Liz sits down with Heather Sumlin, mental performance coach, to talk about fitness goal setting from a very different angle. This is not about hype, pressure, or forcing motivation. It’s about building goals that hold up when life gets busy, motivation fades, or your body isn’t cooperating.

If you’ve ever started the year excited… only to stall out a few weeks later, this conversation will feel very familiar — and very relieving.

What we cover in this episode:

• Why motivation isn’t the problem (and never was) Motivation is unreliable by nature. Heather breaks down why systems, structure, and environment matter more than “wanting it badly enough.”
• ‘Should’ goals vs goals you actually want Many fitness goals fail because they’re inherited from comparison, guilt, or expectation. We talk about how to tell the difference — and why it matters for follow-through.
• Why big goals don’t translate into daily action Ambition isn’t the issue. Translation is. Learn what a goal actually needs to tell you about this week and today.
• How starting too big leads to burnout Especially for high-achievers, the instinct is to do more. We discuss how starting smaller often creates faster, more sustainable progress.
• Reframing setbacks as feedback instead of failure Missed workouts, low-energy weeks, or schedule chaos aren’t reasons to quit — they’re information. Learn how to adjust instead of abandoning the plan.
• Setting goals that fit real life and real bodies Fitness goals don’t exist in a vacuum. We talk about planning for stress, fatigue, hormone shifts, health fluctuations, and busy seasons — without losing momentum.
• The single most important mindset shift for executing goals Heather shares the one shift that consistently helps people follow through — and what success can actually look like six months from now.

Why this matters for dog handlers

As handlers, our time and energy are limited — and the fitness we do needs to transfer into better handling, more confidence, and more fun with our dogs. This episode is about creating goals that support that reality, instead of stealing time and energy from it.

How to get ahold of Heather!

Webinar happening January 13, 2026

Patreon

Book your intro call with Heather

Performance Analysis Journal

Do you want help with the SYSTEM behind your goals?

If you’re listening and thinking, “Okay… but where do I actually start?” Liz has built a Course Finder Quiz that matches you to the right starting point from 50+ handler-specific programs — so you’re not doing more than you need, or starting in the wrong place.

👉 Take the quiz and find your best starting point here: https://caninehandlerfitness.outgrow.us/CHF-Course-Finder

As we head into a new year, a lot of handlers start thinking about how to improve — speed, endurance, confidence, clarity on course.

In this episode, Liz shares a short list of high-ROI focus areas that help handlers move better, react faster, and feel more confident on course — without spending endless hours in the gym or grinding through workouts that don’t transfer.

This isn’t about doing everything. It’s about doing the right few things.

Think of this as a behind-the-scenes checklist: the pieces that quietly make handling smoother, cleaner, and more fun — while protecting your body for the long haul.

🔑 What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• Why the first 4–6 weeks of fitness gains are about neuromuscular adaptation, not muscle — and why that’s good news
• How to stop training randomly and start building workouts that actually transfer to handling
• What “real” core strength looks like for handlers (hint: it’s not crunches)
• Why mobility matters — but only in the places that count
• How training deceleration and force absorption protects your body and improves confidence
• The mindset shift that helps you train like the teammate your dog already believes you are

💡 Why This Matters

When your fitness supports your handling:

• You move more efficiently
• Your cues get clearer
• You fatigue later in runs
• You spend less time fixing problems and more time enjoying your dog

The goal isn’t perfection. It’s transferable strength, better movement, and more fun together.

If you’re ready to train smarter — not harder — and want to know where to start, take our quick course finder quiz. You also get a free trial AND private 1-1 with Liz.

👉🏼 CLICK HERE: Find your best starting point from 50+ dog-sport-specific courses

Whether you’re brand new, coming back after a break, or ready to level up, this quiz matches you with the program that fits your body, your goals, and your dog.

This episode isn’t about “new year, new you” hype. It’s about honest reflection, meaningful change, and creating momentum in a way that actually lasts.

We walk through how to look back at the past year with clarity (without beating yourself up), how to notice when you’ve slipped into valleys of low energy, discouragement, or feeling stuck, and how to build your environment so inspiration doesn’t rely on motivation alone.

We talk about friendship, community, accountability, and why big dreams don’t come from magical bursts of effort — they come from ordinary, doable actions layered consistently over time.

You’ll learn:

• How to evaluate your year without shame — and still learn from it
• What it means to be in a “valley” and how to recognize it
• Why your environment matters more than willpower
• How to bring others into your goals (and why that helps you succeed)
• My Top 5 Ways to turn big ideas into real-life action

This episode is here to remind you: You are capable of more than fleeting inspiration. Your highest self deserves commitment, gentle discipline, and support. And yes — you can build strength, resilience, joy, and possibility… one step at a time.

Let’s make this year meaningful, not manic. 💛

Feeling ready for support and an action plan? Take our 5-question quiz to get matched with the program that's right for YOU. Take it here!

Most runners — even experienced ones — are doing core work that doesn’t actually translate to better running.

In this episode, Liz breaks down what your core really needs to do when you run, why traditional core exercises like planks and crunches often fall short, and how to train your core in a way that directly improves running efficiency, stability, and agility performance.

You’ll learn why core work belongs in your warm-up, how pre-engaging the right muscles improves movement quality, and what’s missing from many popular core programs — especially for dog agility handlers and active athletes who train on their feet, not on the floor.

Liz shares a clear, practical checklist for running-specific core function, then walks you through five core exercises — including standing, rotational, and single-leg options — that better reflect how your body actually moves when you run.

This episode is ideal for:

• Runners who want to feel smoother and more powerful
• Agility handlers looking to improve speed, control, and endurance
• Anyone tired of doing “core work” without seeing real carryover

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why core training in warm-ups improves performance and reduces compensation
• What “pre-engaging” muscles actually means (and what it doesn’t)
• How your core functions during running: bracing, anti-extension, rotation control, and force transfer
• Why seated and floor-based core work alone isn’t enough
• Five practical, running-specific core exercises you can start using right away

This episode cuts through fitness noise and gives you a smarter, more sport-specific way to train your core — so your running feels more connected, efficient, and resilient.

If you don’t want to piece this together on your own, I’ve built all of this into my All Access Pass. Start a free trial, take the quiz to find your best-fit course, and enjoy the flexibility to train in a way that actually works for you.

Get started here!

Most handlers think “strong legs” just means squats and lunges, but agility demands strength that works in every direction.

The goal is power, control, and stability when the dog changes speed or the course forces quick transitions.

• You need single-leg stability far more than bilateral strength
• Deceleration strength prevents slipping, sliding, and knee strain
• Power + quickness beat “strong but slow” every time

Your plan should challenge you in the same ways the course does — forward, backward, sideways, and rotational.

If your routine hits these elements, it’s already doing more for your handling than 90% of generic programs.

• A good lower-body plan always includes hinge, squat, power, and lateral work
• Unilateral training is the most transferable skill for handlers
• If a class has no power or decel, it’s not building speed

You don’t need fancy equipment — you just need smarter variations.

One small tweak per exercise can turn a generic workout into something that actually improves your on-course performance.

• Swap any bilateral move for a single-leg version for instant agility carryover
• Add just 3–5 power reps before strength sets to train quickness
• Change the direction of the movement to mimic real handling (lateral or diagonal)

Many handlers have strong quads but weak hips, ankles, and hamstrings — a setup for slower acceleration and sloppy decel.

Filling these gaps is often the quickest path to feeling faster and more stable on course.

• If you never train hamstrings or hinge patterns, you lose speed
• Skipping lateral work is a guaranteed deceleration weakness
• Machines alone don’t prep you for multi-directional agility demands

Do you want more direction with your TRAINING, so you're not just working out but building to be a better athlete?

Come join us in the All Access Pass, there's even a free trial 🔥

Your Friends Are Your Biggest Fitness Hack

This episode kicks off our second All Access Pass monthly challenge!

December’s All-Access Challenge: Do Something Active With Someone You Care About Once a Week.

We explore why your social circle is one of the strongest predictors of long-term health and fitness, and why shared movement builds sustainable habits far better than willpower alone.

You’ll learn what research says about community and lifespan (including why tennis tops the longevity charts), why “fitness-minded friendships” are the secret weapon for handlers, and how heading into January with deeper connections sets you up for a wildly successful year.

Key Takeaways:

• Activities with others are strongly linked to longevity — tennis increases life expectancy by ~9.7 years, largely due to its social interaction (Copenhagen City Heart Study).

• Weekly shared activity helps build identity-based habits: you become the kind of person who moves socially, not someone forcing themselves to exercise alone.
• Fitness-minded friendships reinforce consistency, reduce holiday stress, and make movement joyful instead of something on your to-do list.
• Going into “New Year New You” season with momentum and a connected support system makes January a continuation — not a desperate restart.If you want a plan to head into 2026 ready to capture your goals, check out our All Access Pass (you even get a free trial!)

Do you think you can skip upper-body training because agility is “all legs and core”? That’s a trap. Your upper body is just as critical for speed, posture, and handling.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How your arms and torso affect sprinting, stride, and turning
• Why upper-body strength is more than just big arms — it’s posture, stabilization, and reactive power
• How unexpected forces from your dog require upper-body coordination you probably aren’t training
• The difference between doing random upper-body exercises and training for performance
• Why ignoring your upper body can actually slow you down and make you more prone to injuries

By the end, you’ll see why upper-body training isn’t optional for agility, and how training correctly will make everything else — sprinting, handling, agility — feel easier and faster.

Have you taken our quiz? We've got over 50 specialized handler programs, and in 5 questions you'll be matched with your ideal course. You also get a free trial, AND a live onboarding call with Liz.

➡ Take your quiz here

In this episode, we’re diving into one of the most misunderstood areas of women’s health — the pelvic floor.

Most people think Kegels are the answer. They’re easy, discrete, and you can do them lying down — but here’s the truth: Kegels are just a drop in the bucket.

Your pelvic floor is the bottom of your pelvis, a foundational part of your core that works in tandem with your diaphragm, abs, and back to support your organs, stabilize your pelvis, and respond to movement.

We break down:

• Why targeted Kegel work alone often isn’t enough
• How tight pelvic floor muscles can limit strength and mobility
• The importance of responsive pelvic floor training — both slow holds and quick, controlled contractions
• Why training your pelvic floor in different positions, not just lying down, is crucial
• 5 exercises to integrate your core and pelvic floor for real-world function

By the end of this episode, you’ll understand that pelvic floor health isn’t just about holding — it’s about movement, responsiveness, and integration with your whole body.

Want to see how your current core and pelvic floor strength stacks up? Take our free 5-question quiz to get matched with a course that fits YOUR NEEDS. All with supporting your pelvic floor in mind.

Take your quiz today!

In this episode, we dive into a topic that can come with some shame: it’s okay for women who do athletic sports to have aesthetic goals!

Many of us have felt pressure to “choose” between looking good and performing well — but the truth is, you can want both.

You can demand both, I sure do.

We explore:

• Why aesthetic goals are valid

• How training for aesthetics also improves strength, athleticism, and movement efficiency

• Real-life examples of exercises that shape your body and improve sprint form at the same time

• Why, as a coach, I’m already programming for all of it, whether you ask or not

By the end of this episode, you’ll feel empowered to embrace your goals — aesthetic, performance, or both — and understand how training smartly can help you achieve them.

Want to find the perfect program for your goals — whether aesthetic, strength, or speed? Take my 5-question quiz to discover the course that fits you best and activate your free trial today.

Click here to take your quiz

This episode kicks off the All Access Glow-Up — a brand-new phase for Canine Handler Fitness.

We’re diving into our first monthly challenge: LIFT HEAVIER! What it means to lift heavier, why it matters for your strength and your mood, and how this November challenge can help you fight the winter blahs, boost your confidence, and handle with more power and ease.

Plus, Liz shares details about the new fitness course quiz that matches you to your perfect program in under 5 questions — so you can stop guessing and start training smarter.

In This Episode:

• Why lifting heavier is about more than muscle — it’s a mindset shift.

• The science of hope molecules and how strength training boosts mood and motivation.

• Why “pushing past comfort” workouts are where the magic happens.

• The story behind the All Access Glow-Up and how members are taking their training up a notch.

• How to find your perfect starting point with the new quiz.

Key Takeaways:

• 💥 Lifting heavier = lifting your mood.

• 🧠 Every rep builds strength in your muscles and your nervous system.

• 💪 Don’t wait for motivation — action creates it.

Links Mentioned:
👉 Take the Quiz: Find Your Perfect Fitness Course
👉 Join the All Access Pass: Your Glow-Up Starts Here
👉 Read the Blog: Collecting Hope Molecules — Why Strength Training Boosts Your Mood